Parking Pains

'You think this location is fine? I don't want a parking ticket.'

'Fine - one way or the other'.

'Hm?'

'The difference of an article. Either fine, or a fine.'

Midterm week foods

Maggi
Oatmeal+Soymilk (Silk)
Corner Bakery Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich (where the waiter almost said 'enjoy your honeymoon!' instead of 'enjoy your food!'
Radhika Bistro leftovers of Paneer Tikka Masala and Korma and Goat cheese samosas
White Mocha Starbucks Coffee
Blueberries (FULL of anti-oxidants)
Dirty brand Jalapeno heat chips
Waffles
Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate
Maggi
Maggic
Maggi

Irreversible Pauses

I went to a wake last night for a co-worker who died at an unacceptably young age.

He was an outstanding actor and singer as well. The video of one of his songs, that he sang at somebody's retirement party was played for the audience - a funny rendition of Don McLean's 'American Pie'. As the song completed, someone said 'you can stop it now' to the person sitting closest to the screen. She hit the pause button, and I saw his frame leaning on his guitar freeze on screen.

And I knew that the video wasn't done yet - that there had to be more. And yet, isn't that what death at an early age is like? You know there's more to a life, but the power goes out, the tape gets stuck, and there's nothing you can do. And you keep wondering how the video would've ended.

Who said?

...that you could only have one post per day?
...that your posts had to make any sense at all?
...that classical dynamics is useful in any shape or form?

I'm sure someone did, but there have to be better things in the world to quote people on.

Speaking of quotes, I think my favorite for the day was: "He gets annoyed when others talk whilst he's interrupting" - source - 'The Little Book of One Liners' sitting on my bookshelf that I picked from a Big Bazaar during my last trip to Bombay (Mumbai still doesn't just roll off the tongue - we're just creatures of habit - is my excuse).

A hike to a haunted mansion is on the agenda for tomorrow. Plus lots of staring at homework problems and blank pages and unanswered questions on class forums. If there's time, maybe I'll be able to review my notes and determine how to keep Euler, Lagrange, Hamilton, Goldstein, Greenwood et al straight.

I did learn a new fun word the other day - Brachistochrone. Apparently, the word comes from Greek brachistos meaning 'shortest' and chrone, meaning, of course, time. The word refers to the famous 'roller coaster problem' in which a path of fastest descent has to be determined from one point to the other.

Who said grad level aerospace classes only introduced students to knowledge, equations, and sleepless nights?

Makeover

I've been on a writing hiatus for a while, and look what I've missed. Blogspot has a new look! Several in fact - I had to choose between 'Awesome.inc' and 'Ethereal' and 'Travel'. I went with one of the travel options - cool layout - although maybe an eyesore to read.

I know at some point I will start to miss my masterpiece customized layout, with the explosive mind-numbing colors that blinded the reader without warning.

Maybe it's time to grow up.